Prenatal and postnatal expression of nitric oxide in the developing kitten superior colliculus revealed with NADPH diaphorase histochemistry

• Published in: Visual neuroscience Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 43 - 54
• Main Authors: SCHEINER, C.A., KRATZ, K.E., GUIDO, W., MIZE, R.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Cambridge University Press 01.01.2001
• Subjects: Animals; Biochemistry and metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Cats; Central nervous system; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Histocytochemistry; NADPH Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Nerve Fibers - metabolism; Neuronal Plasticity; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Nitric oxide synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase - biosynthesis; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; Oculomotor system; Pregnancy; Superior Colliculi - embryology; Superior Colliculi - metabolism; Synaptic plasticity; Tectum; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Visual Cortex - metabolism; Visual system; Oculomotor system; Visual system; Nitric oxide synthase; Synaptic plasticity; Tectum; Immunohistochemistry; Fissipedia; Embryonic development; Carnivora; Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase; Enzyme; Central nervous system; Gene expression; Postnatal development; Felis catus; Colliculus superior; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Investigation method; Visual pathway; Nitric oxide; Developmental stage; Oxidoreductases; Age; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0952-5238; 1469-8714
• DOI: 10.1017/S0952523801181046

Nitric oxide (NO) is a neuronal messenger molecule that mediates pathway refinement in some brain regions. We used nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd) histochemistry to examine the development of NO expression in the superior colliculus (SC) of kittens aged E28–E58 and P2–P57 and adults in order to determine if NO expression is correlated with pathway refinement. At E28, labeled cells were seen only within the subventricular zone (SVZ). At E36–E41, labeled cells were also found within the deep gray layer (DGL) of SC. At E51 and E58, a few labeled neurons were also present in the intermediate gray layer (IGL). These neurons already had extensive dendritic fields and well-developed morphologies at the time that they first expressed nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The number of neurons labeled in the DGL and IGL increased postnatally, reaching a peak density between P14 and P35. Neurons within the optic (OL) and superficial gray layers (SGL) were first visible at P7 and increased slightly in number until adulthood. However, SGL-labeled neurons were relatively limited in number and lightly labeled at all ages examined. We conclude that (1) NADPHd expression occurs in SC beginning in the second trimester in kittens and progresses in a ventral to dorsal pattern between E36–P35; (2) few neurons in kitten SGL are labeled by NADPHd and these appear relatively late in postnatal development; and (3) there is no correlation between NOS expression and retinocollicular pathway refinement in kittens, a result different from that seen in rodents.